Torquay United hit the heights with comfortable win

The Gulls are up to fourth in the table

Torquay United leapt up to fourth place in National League South with a convincing win at Plainmoor.

Manager Gary Johnson had demanded better from his squad after Saturday’s defeat at Aveley and he got it, with a performance that brought the result it deserved.

Farnborough had their moments, and set the woodwork rattling with one spectacular long-range shot late in the game.

But Torquay were better than their guests in every department and sent more than 1,700 fans home well satisfied.

Once again there were changes in the starting XI for Torquay, with Dean Moxey, Brett McGavin and Will Jenkins Davies coming in and Dan Martin and Dillon De Silva dropping to the bench. There was no place in the squad for Finley Craske.

McGavin’s performance was one of the highlights of the night, the midfielder playing with the confidence he has been searching for.

Torquay took the lead seven minutes before the interval, Aaron Jarvis running on to a clever through ball by defender Ollie Tomlinson before smashing it home.

Fellow striker Brad Ash made it 2-0 midway through the second half. Ash had already hit the post with one effort when some lax defending presented him with another chance and he made no mistake.

Although Farnborough’s Ollie Robinson did hit the post with that piledriver, Torquay were cruising home by the time eight minutes of stoppage time was announced.

And they made it 3-0 with a Jarvis penalty in the 98th minute. The foul on Jarvis earned Farnborough’s Jack Ball a second yellow card and a red to go with it, and the Torquay striker picked himself up to score with style.